Madness Reborn
by HojoHoney
Summary: Attitudes and opinions have dramatically changed in the five years since Meteor nearly destroyed the planet. All is peaceful and running smoothly now, or is it?


**Author's Note:** This is my first story of any kind. I'm usually immersed in making wallpaper, character pictures, banners and other assorted computer aided graphics for myself and friends. I'm not very good at putting my ideas into words, but I helped a friend with suggestions on her first fanfic story and was grudgingly persuaded into attempting a FF7 story of my own. This story will be mostly about The Turks, but will include cameo appearances of some of the "good guys", if it fits into the story. R&R please and let me know if my friend's opinion of my writing talent is right or not. Flames are ok as long as they are constructive and/or humorous in nature. I realize this prologue doesn't give you much to go on and I'll try to get the first real chapter done as quickly as I can.   
  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Squaresoft®, Final Fantasy VII® or any of the material referring to such in this story. I don't claim them as my own in any way, shape or form and don't receive anything but satisfaction and (maybe) great reviews (I can dream!) from writing this story. The only things in this story that ARE of my own invention are any characters not originally a part of the well-known and totally addictive Final Fantasy VII® game and whole twisted plot of this story itself.   
  
  


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**Madness Reborn**  
  
  
**Prologue - Setting the Stage**

  
  
It has been five years since Meteor nearly destroyed the planet. Some areas of the planet have changed dramatically, while others have changed very little or not at all. The only worldwide change that is happening is doing so so slowly that most are probably not aware of it at all. Perhaps only the people living on the northern continent, where the Icicle Inn is located, have even noticed the planet's barely measurable warming trend. The planet has finally begun to heal itself fully and completely. But it will take many, many years, maybe even centuries, for the planet to heal its great wound.  
  
The teachings of the scholars of Cosmo Canyon have impacted quite a few of the towns and cities. No one uses Mako power any more. Hydroelectric plants and wind generators provide much of the energy for the daily needs of the inhabitants. The coal mines of North Corel also reopened to provide the factories a replacement for the large quantity of Mako energy they had been accustomed to using. Clean alternative energy sources such as solar panels are encouraged. When a less clean source to power boats, cars and industrial plants is needed, everyone involved makes sure that the proper pollution control devices are in place and are maintained at the maximum degree of protection possible. Harming the planet is considered to be the worst crime possible now.  
  
The most common mode of transportation is riding chocobos. Automobiles, planes, boats and even submarines are still used, but mostly by businesses. The Chocobo Ranch, as a result, has tripled in size. Separate housing for the additional employees necessary to groom, feed and exercise the multitudes of chocobos have mushroomed up around the ranch. The formerly small corral now encompasses nearly all of the grassy plain in order to provide enough roaming room for the gigantic flock of tamed birds. The ranch still eagerly rents stalls out for people lacking the space to house their chocobos, for a sizable amount of gil.  
  
Entertainment and leisure time activities, once taken almost for granted, are now in high demand. Reservations, months in advance, are now necessary for the Icicle Inn, Costa del Sol and the newly opened Wutai Imperial Resort, which was built to accommodate the increase of tourism and allow the inhabitance of Wutai to continue their secluded and noble lifestyle in peace. There are daily tours of the majestic Da-Chao, but the village itself is strictly off limits to tourists.  
  
The Gold Saucer has expanded and sub-divided into two different sections to make room for the addition of the Honey Bee. The Family Fun Park houses all of the known attraction except the Battle Arena and the Chocobo Race Track. These two attractions moved to the new Adult's Den, along with the Honey Bee, to provide an "adults only" getaway. (The women and men working at the Honey Bee are there of their own choice too.)  
  
Midgar, once the hub of the formerly vast Shinra Empire, still lies in ruins from the devastation of Weapon, Meteor, Sephiroth and the numerous celebrations turned riot that followed the planet's salvation. The native plants and animals are the major inhabitants of the crumbling remains. Only people seeking to sift through the rubble for recyclable materials and criminals wanting to avoid justice, ever venture within its decaying walls. Everything Shinra built or made, has fallen into disrepair or has been destroyed outright. Everything, that is, except the old Shinra mansion in Nibelheim.  
  
The people of Nibelheim decided the best way to reclaim the mansion from its former, notorious history, was to convert it into a museum dedicated to the preservation of the history of the peril that nearly happened. Anything remotely connected to Shinra, that survived the looters and collectors, can be found within the remodeled mansion. Every room of the mansion is filled to near overflowing capacity. Every item is carefully identified and verified of its use and authenticity, by former employees and victims of Shinra's reign over the planet, before it is put on display.  
  
The basement of the mansion has been left intact as it was, out of respect for Vincent Valentine, who wished to remain isolated within its depths. The door leading to the spiral basement stairs was bricked up and covered over. A new door, leading to the outside of the mansion, was made to the basement. The only key to its lock was given to the single living victim of Hojo's ghastly experiments. The town's people set food and other necessary supplies by the door daily, but they are rarely ever touched.  
  
Some rooms, such as the one that houses a reconstructed lab of the insane scientist Hojo, are off limits to the public and school tours. The town's people felt that some of what happened under President Shinra's rule was much too dark and evil for the young, weak of heart and the faint of spirit. Special tours are granted to groups or individuals who meet the mandatory age requirement and give proof of being free of any ailment that would cause their demise. Very few have ever been curious enough about these rooms to fulfill the precautionary demands.  
  
The rooms located on the upper floor, are shown only to a select few deemed strong enough to view the past horrors they contain. Only the cadets who are painstakingly selected from the graduating ranks of Junon's new military academy, to begin training as Turks, are allowed and **required** to observe the atrocities those rooms hold. They alone need to be reminded of what power and greed can do to those who possess it. They alone are responsible for protecting the planet and all who dwell on its surface. They alone keep the past from ever happening again. They are **The Turks** and never will this name be associated with anything corrupt, clandestine or irreproachable again! 


End file.
